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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28399341">foster</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiariana/pseuds/Kiariana'>Kiariana</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adopted Children, Adoption, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Gen, Human Kwami, Identity Reveal, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug is Called MDC, Memory Alteration, Memory Magic, POV Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug), Parent Plagg (Miraculous Ladybug), Parent Tikki, Parent-Child Relationship, Plagg Cares (Miraculous Ladybug), Plagg Is So Done (Miraculous Ladybug), Protect Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Protect Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Protective Plagg (Miraculous Ladybug), Protective Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug), Supportive Plagg (Miraculous Ladybug), Supportive Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug), Team as Family, Tikki Is So Done (Miraculous Ladybug), fuck u canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:59:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,793</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28399341</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiariana/pseuds/Kiariana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><strong>foster </strong>[ faw-ster, fos-ter ]<br/>verb<br/>to promote the growth or development of; further; encourage:<br/>to foster new ideas.<br/><em>to bring up, raise, or rear, as a foster child.</em></p><p>Between MDC's growing fame and Lila's machinations, Marinette grows more exhausted by the day.</p><p>Gabriel is colder and more distant every time Adrien sees him, only making time for his new spy to interfere in Adrien's life.</p><p>Hawkmoth's attacks grow more frequent, and the kwami of creation and destruction are tired of seeing their holders suffer.<br/>It's time to take things into their own hands.</p><p> </p><p>In which the kwami decide the best option is the one where they become the legal guardians of their respective holders.<br/><strong>TL;DR: ML Adoption AU</strong></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir &amp; Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir &amp; Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug &amp; Plagg &amp; Tikki, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir &amp; Plagg, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir &amp; Tikki, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug &amp; Tikki, Plagg &amp; Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>178</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>foster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/21008555">Overload</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorChibi/pseuds/SailorChibi">SailorChibi</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This work is, of course, inspired the work of the incredible SailorChibi. See the 'inspired by' link for that fic.</p><p>Setting is 'whatever time makes the most sense'. Haven't seen Miracle Queen or a lot of season 3 tbh, so we're playing fast and loose with canon here.</p><p>This is really just an excuse for gooshy family feels so,, y'know</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter is not nearly as long or as polished as I'd like, but it's been sitting around for nearly a month now and I want to get to the good parts lol. I hope people enjoy it regardless.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The afternoon sun shines through the balcony windows, bathing shades of pink in a golden light that makes the whole room glow like a sunset. Entering the room and shutting the door behind them, the slumping black-haired girl sees none of it. Her tired eyes are trained on the floor.</p><p>The small red form that flits out of her purse does see it, but also the weariness in her companion’s body and the way exhaustion is carving lines into her face.</p><p>“Why don’t you take a nap, Marinette?” The spirit of creation suggests as soon as they are safely inside the bedroom.</p><p>“I can’t, Tikki.” Marinette sighs, dropping her school bag on her bed. After a long day dealing with Lila, cramming in schoolwork during all her breaks, and keeping her eye out for akuma attacks, she’s exhausted. She gives her bed a longing look and turns away. “MDC has a spring line to put out, and I already committed to it. They’re expecting them first thing Monday morning.” The reminder is as much to herself as the creation kwami. The weariness that she feels is clear to anyone who takes the time to look. <em>If</em> they would take the time to look. Lately, it seems that the only one paying real attention to Marinette is Tikki.</p><p>Tikki watches her holder trudge to the desk, concern in every line of the kwami’s form. Marinette is usually such an upbeat girl, but her eyes have definite bags under them and there’s no trace of her usual sweet smile. Her parents haven’t even noticed a difference. The bakery gets busier by the day, and the only time they have for their daughter now is when they ask her to help.</p><p>And every time, Marinette drops what she’s doing and puts on her apron to spend a few hours boxing pastries, or handling the counter, or restocking shelves, or cleaning up at the end of the day… Her parents have only just started to talk about hiring another worker to help. They’re going to put out an ad this week if they remember between all their other work.</p><p>Meanwhile, day by day, Lila further ingratiates herself with Gabriel just to get more leverage on Adrien. Tikki’s seen the strain on his face, and during their meetings Plagg has been vociferous over his irritation, not least because school was once Adrien’s safe place from his father. Now he has to deal with Gabriel’s little spy watching his every movement and no doubt reporting back to his father.</p><p><em>‘The Guardian knows what he’s doing,’</em> Tikki reminds herself, but even she can’t believe that anymore. The Kwamis have long entrusted the care of the Miraculous’ to the Guardians and for good reason. Kwami controlling human affairs has seldom turned out well, and there are always people out there willing to misuse artifacts of power for their own gain.</p><p>But this is her holder, her Ladybug. No matter what Marinette believes, Tikki knows she is a <em>true</em> Ladybug. And she’s tired of watching her charge work herself to the death. She can’t change anything about Hawkmoth, and she won’t take Marinette away from everything she knows and loves. But…</p><p>Tikki and Plagg have been around for a long time. There was a time they were more active in their interactions with humans, even walking among them. It’s because of their experiences with humans that they’ve been in long agreement not to interfere. But <em>this</em> isn’t working.</p><p>Marinette is deep into her work, furiously sketching and erasing. Tikki takes a long look at her holder, the lines under her eyes, those bags growing deeper by the day, and slips into the night.</p><p>It’s time for creation and destruction to make their stand.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>"What’s up, sugar cube? Got any camembert?” Plagg says, drifting over the rooftops of Paris. The moon is high and waning overhead, providing little light. The kwami of destruction’s eyes glow acid-green in the dark.</p><p>“No camembert, Plagg. This is important.” Tikki’s own blue glow is fainter, but no less piercing.</p><p>“Emergency meeting, huh? I dunno, I’m feeling a bit faint. Some cheese would help me focus…” Plagg meanders in lazy circles through the air.</p><p>“This is about the kids, Plagg.” Tikki says.</p><p>His jovial expression drops. He slowly rotates right-side-up to face Tikki with guarded suspicion. “The kids? I thought we agreed-“</p><p>“Things are getting worse for Adrien, aren’t they?” Tikki interrupts, not in the mood for his jabs.</p><p>Plagg doesn’t answer for a long moment. “What, getting tired of me complaining about it?” He finally says with forced cheer after a pause that stretches too long.</p><p>“Marinette is under more pressure too. The bakery takes up all her family’s time. Things at school are awful for both of them, and their parents aren’t going to do anything about it. This isn’t working. I think it’s time for us to get <em>involved.</em>” Tikki says.</p><p>“I’m not the one who vetoed that option,” Plagg says, looking miffed. Back in the old days, Plagg would have interfered long before now.</p><p>“We <em>both</em> agreed not to use it unless the situation was dire. Remember-“</p><p>“I remember,” Plagg grumbles before she can dig up bad memories.</p><p>“And I think it’s getting dire. I wanted to respect the wishes of the current Guardian. They may not be perfect, Plagg, but the Miraculous’ were entrusted to them for good reason. But…” Tikki sighs.</p><p>“But?” He says, and though he is trying to look cool and composed she can see his tail twitching.</p><p>“But I think it’s time we intervened and took them into our own hands,” Tikki says.</p><p>“<em>Yes!” </em>Plagg whoops, then hesitates. “I mean- no, you know what I mean, sugar cube! I’m tired of seeing my kittens miserable.” Plagg says, crossing his arms. His tail lashes behind him.</p><p>“We have to be careful though, Plagg. We want to make their lives easier, not harder.” Tikki reminds him. “We need to talk with them first.”</p><p>“And to that guardian?”</p><p>“You just want to bully him.” Tikki sighs again.</p><p>“Don’t pretend you don’t want to either, Tik. But we also need to set up a contingency plan, remember? This is gonna take a lot out of us.”</p><p>“I know. We’ll discuss it with them, <em>and</em> with the guardian.” Tikki says. Her tails twitch in thought.</p><p>“Tonight?” Plagg presses. A tremor of eagerness passes through his whiskers.</p><p>“Well, we don’t want to rush things…”</p><p>“You’re the one who said things were dire, sugar cube.”</p><p>“I said they were <em>getting</em> dire, Plagg. But yes, let’s talk to the kids tonight. If they agree, we’ll take care of everything tomorrow night.”</p><p>Plagg cheers and swims in a circle through the air. Tikki doesn’t hide her own smile, but reminds Plagg, “Please try to explain everything <em>clearly</em>. Adrien should know what he’s getting into.”</p><p>“Sure thing, sugar cube. I’ll see you later.”</p><p>And he’s off. Tikki sighs and reminds herself to make sure Adrien has been given the full briefing when she sees him.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Marinette is exactly where Tikki left her, though the number of sketches pinned on the wall has grown and signs of Marinette digging out swatches to compare litter the floor around her.</p><p>“Marinette?” Tikki calls, drifting up to the desk.</p><p>She has to call her holder’s name several times before her attention is successfully redirected.</p><p>“Tikki? What is it? Akuma?!” Marinette asks, voice rising with each word. Tikki interjects before she can work herself into a panic.</p><p>“No akumas, Marinette, but I need to talk to you about something important,” Tikki says.</p><p>“Can it wait, Tikki? I really need to finish these drafts before bed…” Marinette says, glancing back at her sketchbook. The lines between her brows deepen just looking at the work.</p><p>“It’s important, Marinette. What if I could give you more time to work?” Tikki says carefully.</p><p>“More time? Is this a ladybug thing?”</p><p>“It’s related, but no. Marinette, things have been really hard for you lately. That should be clear to anyone who knows you well.”</p><p>Marinette looks down at her hands, fatigue playing over her face.</p><p>“I know, Tikki. I just have to get past this, and then…”</p><p>“There will always be more work, Marinette. Not just at school or from designing, but Hawkmoth is getting bolder and more aggressive. It’s taking its toll on both Ladybug and Chat Noir, and it’s not fair for the two of you to have to deal with all of this alone. I know the guardian wants your identities to remain secret, but I talked to Plagg and we wanted to discuss something with the two of you. Something to make both your lives easier.” Tikki takes a deep breath and looks into her holder’s wide, confused eyes. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Me and Tikki want to adopt you guys.”</p><p>“What?” Adrien says, bewildered. </p><p> “We want to take care of you two. Ladybug and Chat Noir. This isn’t working, and Tikki agreed you should know each other’s identities.” Plagg says.</p><p>“Our identities? But Ladybug- did she agree? Because-”</p><p>“Tikki’s talking to the baby bug right now. If you agree, we’ll take care of you.” Plagg says. </p><p>Adrien stares at his kwami. Plagg looks dead-serious. When the kwami had interrupted his piano practice, this was the last thing he’d expected. How is he supposed to react to this? He reaches over and turns off the recording. He’s already going to have to trim the end off the clip since he stopped playing the piece part-way through.</p><p>“Uh, Plagg, are you sure you know what you’re talking about? Because uh- humans have needs and stuff. And you’re tiny, and you… don’t own a house.” Adrien finishes lamely.</p><p>“Hey, we’re all-powerful magical beings. You think we have to look like this? I could be a <em>dragon-</em> if I had worse taste, that is.” Plagg says.</p><p>“You could?” Adrien asks, blinking.</p><p>“Kid. Focus. I’m serious here. If you agree, Tikki and I will become your new guardians. We’ll change everyone’s memories, and they’ll believe that you and ladybug’s civilian identity are our wards. Me and Tik’ can magic up identities for us.” </p><p>Plagg floats over to look Adrien in the eyes.</p><p>“You won’t have to be here anymore. No more Nathalie managing your schedule, no more having to sneak out. You can have friends over whenever you want. Kid,” Plagg touches Adrien’s face, the kid’s expression heartbreakingly exposed, two little black paws pushing against his cheeks, and speaks with every ounce of honesty he can fit in his voice. </p><p>“I’m asking you to let me adopt you.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“<em>Adopt</em> us? But Tikki, my parents…” Marinette says.</p><p>“Marinette, your parents care about you… but they’re so busy with the bakery you haven’t spent any time with them in months.” Tikki says. “They haven’t even noticed how tired you are.”</p><p>“I spent time with them yesterday-”</p><p>“In the bakery, filling orders. Did you speak one word to them that didn’t have to do with the pastries or the customers?” Tikki asks gently.</p><p>Marinette doesn’t answer, looking down at her hands. </p><p>“They’ll still be your parents, Marinette, and you can see them whenever you want! But Plagg and I will be your legal guardians. You won’t have to make excuses at school because an akuma attack kept you from your work. If MDC work comes up, I can give you time off. You could even get a tutor! We’ll be able to help you manage everything instead of doing it all yourself.”</p><p>“I don’t know, Tikki…” Marinette says, fidgeting.</p><p>“I’m worried about you, Marinette. When is the last time you had a good night’s sleep?” Tikki asks.</p><p>“I slept six hours last night!” Marinette protests.</p><p>“Because you fell asleep on your homework, Marinette, and six hours isn’t a good sleep. You’re growing, you need at least nine hours of rest every night.” Tikki says. “All I want is for you to not have to worry.”</p><p>“But the guardian says it’s dangerous for us to know each other’s identities,” Marinette says, twisting her hands together.</p><p>“I know, and we’ll talk to the guardian. I understand why he believes it’s safer that way, and in the beginning, I agreed with it. But circumstances change, Marinette, and I think both of you will be better off knowing. You already know the identities of other holders, so the added risk isn’t all that much. This way you can cover for each other.”</p><p>Marinette takes in the kwami looking at her with concern etched in every line of her face. She looks at her sketches- still so much left to do!- her bag stuffed with homework waiting on the bed, the mess around her room she hasn’t had time to clean in ages. She thinks about Chat Noir, bitterness flashing over his face every time he’s left out of guardian business, secret even from her partner. About Lila, poisoning her class. About her parents, busier and busier with the bakery. </p><p>Marinette inhales and looks up at Tikki.</p><p>“Can… we tell Chat about the guardian too?”</p><p>Tikki smiles, relief oozing from her posture.</p><p>“I was already planning on it.”</p><p>Marinette breathes out. “Okay. How does this work?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“This spell is gonna take a lot out of us. That’s one reason we don’t use it unless we really must. For at least a week afterwards, we won’t be able to use our powers without risking the health of our holders. That means we’re gonna need a contingency plan. With the way things have been going, there’s no way Hawkmoth won’t make any moves during that time. That’s one reason we’re gonna have to talk to the guardian.” Plagg explains, uncharacteristically serious.</p><p>“You mean you and ladybug will talk to the guardian,” Adrien says, looking away. Bitterness pulls at his lips.</p><p>“No, kid, I mean all of us,” Plagg says.</p><p>“But- I thought the guardian had to be a secret?” Adrien says. His expression smacks of ‘kicked kitten’. Plagg wishes the kid wouldn’t expect everything in his life to hurt him but couldn’t blame him after the experiences he’d had. Plagg would just have to change that.</p><p>“We’re already going against what the guardian wants, and it was stupid anyway.” Plagg can already hear Tikki yelling at him. “Well, I’m sure he thought it was a good idea,” he concedes, “but there’s no reason the two of you shouldn’t know. You’re supposed to be partners. Anyway, it’s what we’re doing.” </p><p>“Tonight?” Adrien asks.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Tomorrow night,” Tikki explains. “As far as everyone else will know, the paperwork and everything happened weeks ago. Tomorrow night we’ll make it so the ‘transfer’ happened and you two will be in our charge the next morning. We’ll collect your things from your houses and move, and you’ll have the week off.”</p><p>“What about Alya and everyone in class? Will they know why I’m gone?” Marinette asks.</p><p>“We’ll just tell the school you need the week off. If you want to tell Alya tomorrow, Marinette, it’s up to you. And telling her before the actual change could be a risk.” Tikki says.</p><p>“But I can’t just tell her after it happens, she’ll feel like I’m hiding it from her,” Marinette says, face getting that pinched look it got whenever she thought about her class these days. “And if Chat Noir and Ladybug disappear at the same time our civilian identities need to take time off school, won’t that be suspicious?”</p><p>Tikki looks contemplative.</p><p>“What if you make the change, but make it the day before the move, and we go to school for one more day?” Marinette says hesitantly.</p><p>“You’ll still be telling Alya only a couple days before the move, Marinette… but if she asks, you can tell her you’ve signed a binding non-disclosure agreement. I was going to suggest that anyway before you went back, since you aren’t telling anyone about MDC yet. If anyone presses you for details, you can tell them you signed a contract not to discuss certain details of your design apprenticeships and living arrangement under us. Also… you could tell her the details weren’t finalized until today, okay? And if you want to leave early on the day of the move, just let me know,” Tikki says seriously. “Does that sound okay?”</p><p>There are times when humans would have considered dealing with kwamis to be making a pact with otherworldly forces, and indeed Plagg and Tikki had known miraculous holders to view it that way. Their current holders don’t have superstitions about their companions, unless Adrien counted a healthy fear of Plagg’s post-cheese bad breath as a superstitious belief, but he was more inclined to think of it as saving his nose.</p><p>By coincidence or fate, though separated by a vast swathe of Paris, both Marinette and Adrien agree at the same time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope someone got enjoyment out of this so far. Here's to me managing to put out more! I've got a collection of mushy happy family moments I'm itching to share. I just have to get to those parts lol</p><p>Could Plagg really make himself look like a dragon? who knows.</p><p>Edit 4/13/2021: a word.</p><p>Fun fact: the scene where Plagg and Tikki talk isn't the first thing I ever wrote for the Parent!Kwamis concept, but it is the first scene I wrote specifically for this fic!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Feel free to provide suggestions for what you'd like to see, feedback, etc. in the comments! Or just like. a thumbs up. if you're like me and awful at commenting on fics you like.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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